Etihad added in the announcement made at the Farnborough International Airshow, outside London, that it would also purchase 25 extra wide-bodied A350s and 20 single-aisle A320s to be made by the European aerospace giant.

"Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a firm contract for the purchase of 20 A320s, 25 A350 XWBs and 10 Airbus A380 aircraft," the Gulf carrier said in a statement.